Day 7 presents us with the shortest possible event, the 50, and the longest event this week, the 1500.
In the women’s “splash and dash” event of the week, can Ranomi Kromowidjojo from Netherlands mirror the swimmer we saw last summer, sweeping the sprint events in London? She has had a bit of a rocky year with a new coach. Australia’s Cate Campbell is better than ever here in Barcelona, especially after her win the 100 freestyle last night. She could do the sweep here in Barcelona.
The 1-2 duo of the Americans Matt Grevers and David Plummer are back in action in today’s 50 backstroke. They could very easily repeat their finish in this event, but will be challenge by another duo from France of Jeremy Stravius, who was 3rd, and Camille Lacourt, who was 5th earlier this week.
The two Americans, Jessica Hardy and Breeja Larson, find themselves seeded ahead of the 16-year old breaststroke superstar, Ruta Meilutyte. Hardy is the world record holder in this event, and finish third to Meilutyte earlier this week. In semi-finals Meilutyte was out in 29.97, and easily has the speed to crush this record. Breeja will need to swim much better in this race than her 100 and 200 if she wants a chance at the final.
Regardless of what is being said about Sun Yang from China, he is the favorite here in the men’s 1500m freestyle. He is the defending Olympic champion in this event and has posted the fastest time in the world this year; his advantage is so great it is difficult to question him. Others to watch in this race include Ryan Coachrane (CAN), Ous Mellouli (TUN), Connor Jaeger (USA), Michael McBroom (USA), Jordan Harrison (AUS) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA).
Here is the event line-up for today in order –
Women’s 50m Freestyle
Men’s 50m Backstroke
Women’s 50m Breaststroke
Men’s 1500m Freestyle
Looking ahead tonight’s final timeline –
Women’s 50m Butterfly FINAL
Men’s 50 Freestyle FINAL
Women’s 200 Backstroke FINAL
Women’s 50m Breaststroke SEMIFINAL
Men’s 100m Butterfly FINAL
Women’s 50m Freestyle SEMIFINAL
Men’s 50m Backstroke SEMIFINAL
Womens’ 800m Freestyle FINAL
Links for the week –
SwimSwam Landing Page
Omega Live Timing
Omega PDF Results
Women’s 50m Freestyle PRELIMS
After a dominating performance in the 100 freestyle tonight, Cate Campbell from Australia has established herself as a top-flight sprinter. She is our top seed in the 50 freestyle this morning in a time of 24.27, matching her world best time this year.
Cate’s sister, Bronte Campbell, whose having quite the meet herself, is in 3rd with a time of 24.65.
Francesa Halsall of Great Britain is 2nd at 24.60. Bronze medalist from last nights 100 freestyle from the Netherlands Ranomi Kromowidjojo is in 4th at 24.68. Dorothea Brant from Germany sits in 5th at 24.78.
Georgia Bulldog’s sophomore Chantal Van Landeghem had a great swim this morning. She dropped about .2 from her start time to qualify 6th at 24.89. She was previously unranked in this event, but had a solid year with the Bulldogs who wont the National title.
USA’s rookie Simone Manuel is 7th at 24.93. Manuel kicked off her international meet on day 1 with a solid split on the 4x100m freestyle relay. Her teammate Natalie Coughlin is 9th by .01 to Sarah Sjostrom (AUS), 25.00 to 24.99.
She scratched out of the 100 freestyle on day 5 to focus on the 50 freestyle, and Jeanette Ottesen Gray is 12th at 25.04.
Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace after giving us a preview of her speed in the semi-finals of the 100 freestyle is in 13th at 25.15.
Top 16: Campbell, AUS; Halsall, GBR; Campbell, AUS; Kromowidjojo, NED; Brandt, GER; Van Landeghem, CAN; Manuel, USA; Sjostrom, SWE; Coughlin, USA; Poon, CAN; Urbanczyk, POL; Ottesen Gray, DEN; Vanderpool-Wallace, BAH; Heemskerk, NED; Seppala, FIN; Blume, DEN
Men’s 50m Backstroke PRELIMS
Coming into Barcelona Daniel Orzenchowski (BRA) was third in the world in this event, and he shaved off .01 of his best time this year to solidify the top spot after prelims at 24.67.
Another top performer this year Aschwin Wildeboer Faber (ESP) shaved time to finish 2nd at 24.72.
Our bronze medalist from earlier this meet in the 100 backstroke, Jeremy Stravius from France, finds himself in that 3rd position again at 24.79. He was out first at the 50 in the 100 backstroke, just slightly over Grevers the other night. South Africa’s Gerhard Zandberg is 4th at 24.85.
With the world leading time this year and a silver medal performance in the 100 backstroke earlier this week, David Plummer (USA) is in 5th at 24.91. His teammate Matt Grevers, who won the 100 backstroke is down in 10th at 25.08.
Continuing with more names we didn’t see in the 100 backstroke finals, Bastiaan Lijesen is 6th, 24.94. Camille LaCourt (FRA) who finished 5th the other night, is 7th at 24.97.
We round off our top eight with a tie between Isreal’s Guy Marcos Barnea and China’s Xiaolei Sun. Israel also qualified Jonatan Josef Kopelev in the semi-final,who is in 12th place.
Top 16: Orzechowski, BRA; Wildeboer Faber, ESP; Stravius, FRA; Zandberg, RSA; Plummer, USA; Lijesen, NED; LaCourt, FRA; Barnea, ISR; Sun, CHN; Grevers, USA; Solli, NOR; Kopelev, ISR; Delaney, AUS; Sankovish, BLR; Grabrich, ARG; Rando Galvez, ESP
Women’s 50m Breaststroke PRELIMS
Wow! A world record in prelims! With the former world record holder swimming right next to her this morning, Yuliya Efimova from Russia broke Jessica Hardy’s suit-era world record by .01. The previous record was 29.80 by Hardy in August of 2009 in Federal Way, Washington.
Efimova is coming off a tremendous win last night in the 200 breaststroke over the heavy favorite and new world record holder Rikke Moller Pedersen.
Don’t expect Efimova to control this race from here on out, Hardy dipped below the :30 second mark this morning at 29.99. The 100 breaststroke world record holder and gold medalist from these championships, Ruta Meilutyte is in third at 30.07, just .1 off her former course record.
These three women will be gunning for gold tomorrow night.
Breeja Larson has been a bit off compared to her times in Indianapolis, but turned it around here in the preliminaries to finish 4th at 30.46. Jennie Johansson from Sweden finished 8th in the 100 and is 5th here in the 50 at 30.55.
The top eight are rounded off by Mariia Liver (UKR) at 30.68, Petra Chocova (CZE) at 30.77 and Moniek Nijhius (NED) at 30.82.
Rikke Moller Pedersen (DEN) is in 12th finishing at 31.23.
Top 16: Efimova, RUS; Hardy, USA; Meilutyte, LTU; Larson, USA; Johansson, SWE; Liver, UKR; Chocova, CZE; Nijhuis, NED; Doyle, IRL; Atkinson, JAM; Garcia Urzainqui, ESP; Pederson, DEN; Ejdervik, SWE; Yuzhe, CHN; Marshall, AUS; Luhersdottir, ISL
Men’s 1500m Freestyle PRELIMS
The final distance race was swum this morning with the men’s 1500m freestyle. Sun Yang has already won the 400m and 800m races this week and will go for the sweep here in Barcelona tomorrow night. He is seeded first with a time of 14:54.65.
Ryan Cochrane from Canada, who has already placed third in the 800m freestyle earlier this week is second at 14:55.15.
Connor Jaeger (USA) once again negative his race (7:31, 7:24) to sit third at 14:56.62. Michael McBroom who had an outstanding swim in the 800 earlie this week is in 7th, swimming under the 15:00 mark at 14:59.73.
Gregorio Paltrinieria (ITA) is 4th at 14:57.15. Pal Joensen (FAR) is 5th at 14:57.76.
Jordan Harrison (AUS) is 6th at 14:58.62. He has the second best time in the world this year, so he could be a challenger from the outside.
The only swimmer that did not get under the 15:00 was 8th place by Daniel Fogg (GBR) at 15:00.48.
2008 Olympic champion and 2012 bronze medalist in the 1500m free Ous Mellouli finished 11th this morning.
Top 8: Yang, CHN; Cochrane; CAN; Jaeger, USA; Paltrinieri, ITA; Joensen, FAR; Harrison, AUS; McBroom, USA; Fogg, GBR
Wow I read on twitter that all finalists in the 50m men’s freestyle has won olympics medals.
It is true, although Morozov has only relay medal while the rest has individual medals.
Interestingly, it is only Bovell that doesn’t have freestyle medal, he won 200 IM bronze in Athens.
It is also interesting to note that NONE of finalists in the men 100 free hold their respective 100 free national records
Women’s 50 breast world record for Yuliya Efimova
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93nDVNKM8Vw
Efimovas reaction was fantastic.
Any one here know why Breeja Larson has been off this week? Women’s breaststroke is on fire and there is no room for not being 101%.
For those who want to watch the women’s 800 free prelims with Katie Ledecky.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12locu_serie-800m-nl-f-chm-2013-natation-ledecky-s-amuse_sport
Bobo, I am going to ask you this here so you will see it. Why did Agnel stop swimming the 400 annd decide to focus on the 100-200? Was it his choice or his coaches choice? You want him to swim the 400 again but do you think he wants to put in the practices that are required for 400 traing?
Clearly a coach choice since 2011 with the 4X100 relay in London on mind. He has improved a lot his speed base and it has been great for his 200 free. But when you think that last November he breaks the SCM 400 free world record in 3.32.25 and the SCM 800 free European record in 7.29.17, you can see the huge potential he has in the longer distances. Agnel is born internationally with the 400 free in 2010 when he beats Biedermann at the European championships.
In an interview on eurosport, Bob Bowman has said he would train him for the 100/200/400 triple in Rio. I hope he will forget that idea and will drop the 100 on… Read more »
Slowly and slowly and slowly…. the shiny suit WRs are geting broken.
Which of the rubber suited WRs do you think will still be standing by 2024 olympics?
my guess:
MEN: 200 free, 800 free, 100 fly,
WOMEN: 200 fly, 200 IM
before this year, I would put the women 100 free as well, but campbell may have a chance.
I agree the world records you mention are incredible. The difference between them is that the men’s 100 fly and the women’s 200 fly have been made by the best. Michael of course in the 100 fly and Liu Zige who has confirmed this week.
The men’s 200 free, the men’s 800 free and the women’s 200 IM have been made by very good swimmers, world finalists, but not the best. We can say the magical suits have had a huge effect on Paul Biedermann, Zhang Lin and Ariana Kukors. Good for them. But it’s not very important for me. I look much more at the titles than at the records.
Little preview of tonight.
Another US day today? Yes!
Women’s 50 fly.
Jeanette Ottesen Gray is fresh and will win this race.
Ranomi and Halsall should finish behind her.
Little hope for Mélanie Hénique but an outside lane would have been better for her.
Men’s 50 free.
Florent Manaudou is a physical beast and has a huge start. He will probably win tonight thanks to his start. I see him in 21.15.
Anthony Ervin is by far the fastest on the water. If he has the start of his life he can win this race.
I see Adrian for the bronze medal.
Be careful to Bousquet too.
Women’s 200 back.
Missy! Missy!… Read more »
I think ledecky will go out real fast from the start and friis will not be able to match ledeckys early speed.
I predict ledecky in 4:04 – 4:08 for final 8:12
Women’s 50 free.
Cate Campbell is alone. She is so tall and so powerful! It looks easy for her.
Ranomi and Halsall will fight for the other medals.
Great first individual race for Simone Manuel! 24.89! First time under 25! She can qualify for the final. It would be very good for her experience.
Men’s 50 back.
Orzechowski, Wildeboer Faber, Stravius are the favorites.
Women’s 50 breast.
WR for Efimova! With her 29.78 in the 50 breast and 2.19.41 in the 200 breast, I don’t understand why she doesn’t swim much faster in the 100 breast. 1.05.02 was good but we could expect at least 1.04.50 from her.
Ruta will probably respond tonight.
… Read more »
Agreed.. but I would trade Orzechowsky 50 back for a stronger 100 back by now..
Ruta will probably go 29.5…did not watch the 1500 prelims to pick anyone.. I agree with gold and silver.. but can´t say who for bronze..
I missed all the prelims live.
bobo, will please you bestow us with your youtubes of this morning swims?
merci beaucoup
There’s nothing for the moment.